Anti-aircraft tracker



QR 1934-597 1 gal};

J. L. ROUTIN.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRACKER. APPLICATION BLED SEPT. 10, 1917.

1,345,704. Patented July 6, 1920.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH LOUIS ROUTIN, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT TRACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6,1920.

Application filed September 10, 1917. Serial No. 190,615.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LOUIS RoU'riN, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of 2 Rue Olchanski, Paris, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Anti-Aircraft Trackers, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

In my application Serial No. 182,311, filed July 23, 1917, now Patent No.1,845,697, dated July 6, 1920, I have described and claimed chronotelemetrical apparatus for use in regulating the firing of anti-aircraft guns which shows directl and without previous calculations the in ications for regulating the time fuse of the projectile and the corrections to be made in the adjustment, both in height and in direction, in order to compensate for the displacement of the target during the flight of the projectile.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices of the above class and has for its object to provide a tachochronometer adapted to be operated by the aiming mechanism of the gun, to graphically determine either the vertical or lateral angular speeds of the target and to apply the corrections in the adjustments of the telescopes of the gun without taking readings.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing diagrammatically illustrates the method of mounting in the most unfavorable case where the corrections are given by adjusting the telescopes in relation to the gun cradle.

As the device is the same for both lateral and vertical aim only the device for vertical aim is illustrated.

In the drawing a gun is shownadapted to be aimed in elevation by means of a handwheel A, the shaft of which drives a screw V, mounted on a suitable frame, through the aid of differential gearing D. A drum C adapted to receive a piece of paper is mounted in forks B extendin from a nut E traveling along the screw The drum C is rotated at a constant speed through a shaft XY driven by clock mechanism not shown. A stationary stylus F is mounted on a crosspiece of the frame and is arranged to contact with the sheet of paper thereon. Pivoted about the stylus is an alidade arm G having a slot for receiving a pin projecting from a nut J adjustable along a screw shaft H manually driven by a handle M. The shaft H is made adjustable to and from the stylus F in any suitable manner. A flexible connection transmits the rotations of the shaft H to gears N for adjusting telescope L, and a telescoping gear shaft connects shaft H with one of the differential gears.

By actuating the handle A for the vertical adjustment of the gun the fork B which supports the drum C is longitudinally displaced. This movement is obtained by means of the differential D the screw V and the nut E. The drum C on the other hand receives a regular movement of rotation on its axle XY. This movement may be produced, for example, by aid of clock mechanism.

Under these conditions the fixed stylus F traces on the drum 0 a curve which represents the an le of site in time functions 1?. The alidade G is adjusted tangentially to this curve by operating the crank M. This movement is obtained by the screw H and the nut J. The distance between the screw H and the point F is regulated so as to be equal to the time of flight. To regulate this distance the hand-wheel a is turned. This movement is transmitted by shaft 6, pinions 0, c, d, d, screws 6, e and the two nuts 7, f. The displacement is read on fixed 'scale 9 in front of a movable index it. The

number of turns given to M (counted from the position in which FG is vertical) is then evidently proportional to the product of the time of flight with the angular speed. In order to effect the correction of vertical aim without taking readings it is suflicient to connect the screw N with the screw H, by means of a flexible member K which allows the telescope L to be adjusted with respect to the gun cradle.

The hand-wheel M controls also one of the pinions of the differential D interposed in the transmission between actuating handwheel A and screw V. This control is made by aid of pinions i and j interiorly slotted tube is, arbor Z, which have a key Z engaging the slot in tube 71: and finally pinions m and n. The movements of the telescope in relation to the cradle are thus revented from being transmitted to drum In explanation, the stylus F? traces a graph the horizontal ordinates of which vary with the angular displacement of the target in the zenithal plane, while the vertical ordinates vary as the time. Representing the zenithal angle at any instant by a and time by t, then expresses the zenithal angular velocity. At the moment of making the observation, the screw-shaft H is adjusted to a distance from F proportionate to the time of flight and the alidade Gr is placed tangent to the graph at the point F. As a result of this arrangement, the right angle triangle HJ F gives the relation HJzHF tangent J FI-I. Since the coordinates of the point F of the graph vary as the angle of sight on and time 6 respectively, the zenithal angular speed may be expressed b which also exp the ratio or the tangent of J FH. HF is made proportional to the time of flight or as designated in the above application. HJ therefore is equal to the product 25 which is the zenithal correction to be applied.

W'hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is v 1. In combination a revolubly mounted gun provided with an aiming telescope, a recording surface movable at a uniform rate in one direction, means for displacing said surface transversely to said direction proportionally to the angular movement of the gun, a stylus bearing on said surface for tracing a curve giving angles of sight in time functions and provided with a tangent indicating arm, and manually operated means adjustable relatively to said stylus proportional to the time of flight of the projectile and engaging said tangent arm, and power connections between said means and the telescope for applying to the latter angular corrections as indicated by the tangent position of said tangent arm.

2. In combination a revolubly mounted gun provided with an aiming telescope, a recording surface movable at a uniform rate in one direction, means for displacing said surface transversely to said direction proportionally to the angular movement of the gun, a stylus bearing on said surface for tracing a curve giving angles of sight in time functions and provided with a tangent indicating arm, a threaded manually oper ated shaft adjustable to and from said stylus proportionally to the time of flight of the projectile and provided with a nut having sliding engagement with said arm and power connections between said shaft and telescope for applying thereto an angular correction as indicated by the tangent position of said arm.

3. In combination a gun, means for rotating said gun and an aiming telescope movable therewith, a drum revoluble at a uniform rate, differential gearlng connecting said drum and said gun rotating means for imparting movement thereto in the direction of its axis, a stylus having on the surface of the drum for tracing a curve giving angles of sight in time function, and provided with a tangent indicating arm, manually operated means adjustable relatively to said stylus proportionally to the time of flight of the projectile and engaging said tangent arm, power connections between said means and the telescope for applying to the latter angular corrections as indicated by the tangent position of said tangent arm and between said means the differential gear means to prevent said correcting movements of the telescope being transmitted to sfiid drum.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

JOSEPH LOUIS ROUTIN. [1,. s.] Witnesses:

HENRI MoNIN, Josnrrr GEMENI. 

